The 5 Best Electric Lawn Mowers for 2023
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Leigh Matthews is a sustainability expert and long time vegan. Her work on solar policy has been published in Canada’s National Observer.
Looking for a lawn mower that doesn’t contribute to climate change, and that won’t wake up your neighbor’s sleeping baby? We rate the best emission free, electric, lawn mowers on the market today, plus tips for buying the right electric lawn mower.
Gas lawn mowers degrade air quality
Think your choice of lawn mower doesn’t matter?
According to research published by Michigan State, “mowing the average lawn in the U.S. creates as much air pollution as driving the family car on a 200-mile trip,” which has many of us looking for greener options. We rated, and tested, emission free lawn mowers and listed our top picks below
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) places restrictions on emissions from lawnmowers, but there are no emission-free gas lawn mowers. Gas mowers also become less efficient and pump out ever-greater emissions the older they get.
As for electric mowers, these are tankless and instead rely on a cord or battery. Corded mowers have no mowing time restriction as they draw energy from your main electricity hookup. For battery models, battery time means how long you can use an electric mower before having to charge the battery again.
Most battery-powered lawn mowers are powered by lithium-ion batteries, which are just bigger versions of the lithium batteries in our laptops and cellphones. You can store a lot of energy in a lithium battery compared to older types of batteries, which is why electric lawn mowers are now possible and, indeed, comparable in power to a gas-powered lawnmower.
Unfortunately, lithium batteries are expensive and deteriorate over several years, with their capacity decreasing as the cells in the battery die off. It’s a good idea, therefore, to have a spare battery and to replace the battery every few years to ensure good performance.
Avoid second hand electric lawn mowers
Beware second-hand electric mowers with older batteries; the mower itself may be sold cheap compared to a new model, but the included battery or batteries may be next to useless and cost more than the mower to replace.
The best electric lawn mowers
Curious about how we rate products? Click here to view our methodology, which at its core, is about voting with our dollars to fight climate change.
Ego LM2102SP and LM2142SP [Staff Tested]
Highlights: 56V, Cordless, huge storage bag, headlights for evening mowing. Both models fold up easily for storage, have weather-resistant construction, and have a 21-inch deck size, with 3-in-1 mulching, bagging, side discharge options. Can buy with or without battery and charger.
- Same torque as a gas powered mower
- Huge collector bag
- Pin drop quiet while mowing
- Easy to store
- Can mow the lawn at night
The EGO 2102SP is a 21 in. 56-Volt Lithium-ion Cordless Walk Behind Self Propelled Mower that includes a 7.5 Ah battery and charger, and offers 60 minutes of cutting time and a 60 minute charge time.
With more than 6,000 5-star reviews at Home Depot online and a reputation elsewhere for high performance and usability, the Ego is a top pick for an electric lawn mower that can easily handle larger lawns.
You can also buy the 2102SP model without battery or charger for 450 (View Price on Ace Hardware).
This mower delivers the same high torque as gas-powered mowers without the air pollution and noise, and at a lower price! If your lawn area is half an acre or more, this monster of a mower might be your new best friend. It even boasts headlights, so you can do a spot of evening mowing should you wish.
One big plus for the Ego is that huge collector bag, which means you can mow a large area of lawn without having to stop to empty the bag. The downside here, of course, is that the machine becomes quite heavy by the end of your run. Happily, this model doesn’t seem to lose traction at the front when the bag is nearing capacity, unlike some other models.
The LM2142SP (View Price on Amazon) is a 2 x 5 Ah battery model that is very similar to the LM2102SP 7.5 Ah model. The 2142SP offers a bit more flexibility in handle height, however, with 6 handlebar positions available rather than just 3. This makes it the better option if you’re a bit taller or shorter than average.
One other major difference between these two Ego mowers is that the 7.5 Ah model has a polymer composite cutting deck, while the 5 Ah model has a steel cutting deck. Both seem to perform extremely well across all kinds of grass, but the steel is, arguably, the more sustainable material.
The rear wheels on the 2 x 5 Ah model are also an inch bigger in diameter (10 inches vs. 9 inches), which may help with maneuverability in some situations and be better for sloping lawns. The 7.5 Ah model also weighs a dash more at 78.8 lbs compared to 75 lbs or the 2 x 5 Ah model.
The major difference between the two, though, is simply the run time. The 7.5 Ah gives you around 60 minutes of run time before you’ll need to charge the battery. And, of course, while you’re charging the battery, you don’t have a spare to use as a backup. With the dual battery model, you can use one 5 Ah battery for 45 minutes while charging the other battery, then switch them out to carry on mowing without having to take a break. This way, you could pretty much mow all day and, thanks to the LED headlights, all night if you wanted!
Both of these Egos have one easy-to-use shifter style handle that adjusts the height of all four wheels at the same time, which is much more convenient than having to adjust each one individually. Both models fold up easily for storage, and both have weather-resistant construction and a 21-inch deck size, with 3-in-1 mulching, bagging, side discharge options.
The Egos also offer independent self-propulsion, meaning you can turn off the mowing function but still use self-propulsion to move the mower easily from one spot to another, such as over surfaces that could damage the blades if they were moving.
Finally, both the Egos have a 5-year limited warranty and, if you buy from Home Depot, a 90-day return window in case you’re not happy with your new mower.
Oh, and the Ego Power 56 Volt battery/batteries are shipped separately and are compatible with all Ego Power products. This means you can save on the cost of the mower by buying the tool only, if you already have an Ego battery and charger. Or, consider this an investment in the future of your tool collection if you’ll also be replacing any snow blowers, leaf blowers, hedge trimmers, chainsaws or so forth in the next little while.
One other reason Ego make my list of eco-friendly lawn mowers is their adoption of green power sources for their research and development facilities and industrial park. In 2004, the company installed a 7,500 square foot Green Roof system on their RD facility, with savings of around 1.5 gallons of gas per square foot each year. The roof of their Green Power Industrial Park also features a 2-megawatt photovoltaic power station.
This ‘Blue Roof’ generates, year-on-year, the equivalent power from burning 755 tons of coal. This cuts sulfur dioxide emissions by 50 tons and carbon dioxide emissions by 1677 tons annually.
In addition, the Ego Green Power Industrial Park utilizes ground-source heating, air-conditioning and water-storage technologies. They estimate that their ground source heating system alone saves 1 million kWh of electricity annually, the equivalent of 378 tons of coal. It also cuts sulfur dioxide emissions by around 25 tons and carbon dioxide emissions by 839 tons each year.
Ego hasn’t been in business quite as long as Black Decker, but they’re an innovative company with global reach. Established in 1993, they have long been invested in cordless electric technology and are now one of the world’s largest manufacturers of tools.
Our experience after one year of using the Ego electric lawn mower
After a year of hands-on use, here’s what a member of our team, Taylor, has to say about his experience with the Ego mower:
I’m not the type of person who really enjoys and looks forward to mowing their yard, unlike many of my neighbors; it’s a chore that needs to get done just like any of the others that are part of owning a home. With that being said, the Ego mower is hands-down my favorite mower that I’ve used to date.
Helpful Info from Our Experts
Hudson Star Greensmowers have lower cutting heights than most reel mowers and will mow low enough for a putting green. 11 blade computer balanced reel cuts from 3/32″. 3/4″ heights. Excellent for those hard-to-reach areas, soft, sensitive, or nursery greens.
- Steep Hills, Tight Edges, Near Water
- Collars / Fringes / Tie Ins
- Newly Seeded Greens
- Stressed or Damaged turf
- Sound Sensitive Areas (Near Clubhouses, Neighborhoods, Resorts etc.)
Country Club grass in your own backyard
The perfect tool for the home greens enthusiasts. spend your time improving your game, not your turf. The Classic Cut mower is designed to allow home greens enthusiasts to experience the same professional golf course quality greens care enjoyed by professionals.
Built Rugged to Exacting Specifications
- Built with All Steel Frame with Collapsible Tubular Handle
- All Steel Drive Train Guarded Sealed
- Sealed Bearings. No Lubrication Required
- Professionally Coated Parts for Corrosion Resistance
The Hudson Star Classic Cut is ideal for home putting greens, croquet courts, lawn bowling, and tennis courts. It can also be found on many professional golf courses.
Hudson Star Classic Cut Info
- 82 lbs.
- Built with All Steel Frame
- Collapsible Tubular Handle
- All Steel Drive Train Guarded Sealed
- Assembled Utilizing Stainless Steel Fasteners
- Sealed Bearings. No Lubrication Required
- Professionally Coated Parts for Corrosion Resistance
- 4 cuts per inch
- 16″ Cut Width
- All manual mower with direct drive to reel
Q: How much does the unit weigh? A: The Classic Cut weighs 82 lbs.
Q: What is the cutting height range? A: The cutting range for both units is 3/32″ to 3/4″. This allows for not only close golf course quality cuts, but allows trimming of fringe areas and tees as well.
Q: How hard is it to change cutting heights? A: It is very easy. The full cutting height range is accessed by simply turning a single hand knob. There are no bolts or nuts to loosen or tighten. There is no adjustment from side to side.
Q: How many blades does the reel contain? A: Both units are manufactured with an 11 blade reel. The reel is balanced and backlapped at the factory and gives approximately 4 cuts per inch.
Q: How easy is the Classic Cut to push? A: Properly maintained, the Classic Cut is easy to push and can be used by women and even fairly young children. Conditions such as dull blades or excessively wet or tall grass will increase the force necessary and will effect the quality of cut.
Q: How often will sharpening be required? A: Normally very infrequent. Conditions such as frequency of mowing cycles, condition of top soil, and frequency of top dressing can affect the condition of the blade. Both units come with a backlapping kit allowing the user to sharpen the cutting blades easily.
Q: Will the mowers catch grass clippings? A: Yes! Clippings are collected in our unique molded catch can. The can “clips” on the front of the mower allowing quick and easy dumping and reattachment.
Q: How can I transport my mower from my garage to the green since I have to travel over concrete, asphalt, stones, rougher terrain, etc.? A: Both mowers are manufactured with a unique multi-position handle assembly which allows the unit to be transformed into a transportation mode. Not only does it protect the cutting area of the mower, but it allows the unit to be used as a “smoothing” roller for the green.
Q: What about maintenance? A: Under normal conditions little maintenance is required. All materials are powder-coated or manufactured from corrosion-resistant materials. All bearings are sealed and the drive-train is enclosed requiring no lubrication.
Q: Does the factory stock replacement parts? A: Yes.
Q: Do the mowers come with a complete and detailed owners manual including identification of all replacement parts? A: Yes!
Q: Should the mowers be cleaned after mowing? A: Normally light spraying with a water hose and lightly coating with something similar to WD-40 is sufficient.
Q: What assembly is required when I receive the unit? A: Simply bolt the handle in place. The mower is ready for the green.
Q: How long does it take to mow a green with these units? A: Depending on the size and condition of the green, normal mowing time for most “home” greens would be approximately 10-20 minutes.
Mean Green Evo electric zero-turn mower by EcoTeq
Mean Green’s Evo is a step up from the Rival reviewed earlier in the year and our test unit was loaded with options. This electric mower is a full commercial unit in every sense, with an 8-hour runtime, equating to 30 acres of cutting on a single charge.
Cost-effective
Mean Green has been manufacturing commercial zero-turns in the USA since 2009 and is exclusively distributed in Australia by EcoTeq, who have branches in every state, with spare parts backing and trained technicians ensuring purchasers quality backup.
It is evident straight away that the build quality of this Mean Green mower is exceptional. Deck and machine are constructed of aircraft-grade aluminium which is lightweight and extremely robust. The Evo tested was fitted with the optional larger 35kWh battery pack – a 22kWh battery is standard – which powers the 5 deck motors and 2 drive motors, producing a drive speed of 21kph and the long 8-hour runtime.
Deck and machine are constructed of aircraft-grade aluminium which is lightweight and extremely robust.
The combination gives power comparable to a 37hp diesel machine without the noise and running costs, which is very impressive indeed. The machine is so quiet! It is great for noise-sensitive sites, the operator and bystanders.
Although the initial purchase cost is quite a bit more than equivalent conventional mowers, recent excessive fuel prices, and maintenance items such as air filters, fuel filters, oil filters, spark plugs and so forth, are not an issue with the Mean Green Evo, so there’s a huge cost saving on consumables, labour and fuel. That equates to enormous running-cost savings over the life of the machine.
Charging and rego
Charge time is 12 hours for a fully depleted battery, so it’s an easy overnight recharge after a full day’s use. It is worth noting the batteries have no memory, so can be charged at any point, whether fully or partially depleted.
Another optional extra fitted to the test machine was a lightweight canopy for the operator’s protection that doubles as a battery charger with solar panels on the top. This can add another 30-40 minutes to the runtime when operating on a sunny day.
An optional lightweight canopy doubles as a battery charger with solarpanels and can add another 30-40 minutes to the runtime on a sunny day.
Also fitted to the Evo I tested was the fanciest conditional rego kit I have seen. It has its own control panel on the dash for easy operation and includes not only a tiny but effective flashing beacon, but also LED lights, blinkers and a horn.
The rear-discharge deck is a massive 74 inches wide and has 5 blades, and there’s a mulching kit available. Two of the blades spin in opposite directions to the other three, ensuring optimum grass cut and grass deflection/mulching whether rear-discharging or mulching. Rear-discharge decks are the only option for this model. Each blade is operated by its own 3kW electric motor, with the blade attached directly to the motor driveshaft rather than the conventional spindle setup. This eliminates massive amounts of maintenance and consumables; there are no pulleys, no belts, no grease points and therefore no maintenance at all on the top of the deck. The only maintenance/consumable within the entire cutting system is the blades. ‘Tweels’ were fitted to both the front and rear of the Evo I tested, eliminating downtime from flat tyres. They are also a bit more forgiving on uneven terrain.
‘Tweels’ were fitted to both front and rear of the Evo,eliminating downtime from flat tyres.
Mean Green’s Impulse Drive System gives instant power.
It does take a bit to get used to as the controls are so extremely light and responsive, although after about 15 minutes of operation I was confident and it was a pleasure to operate. It felt like I was just lightly guiding the control levers rather than pushing and pulling them like a conventional zero-turn, and therefore there’s much less effort required from the operator, and that reduces fatigue.
Controls are extremely light and responsive.
There are two blade speeds that can be changed effortlessly to suit the grass and conditions with the touch on the control-panel screen. The drive speed of the Evo also has two speeds that can be changed in the same way, with a touch on the control screen. Changing between the two speeds can conserve battery life by operating in the slower speeds if grass conditions allow. Cutting heights can be changed in ¼-inch increments at a touch, and the deck can be lifted and lowered via an electric ram.
Blade speeds and drive speed can be selected with a touchon the control-panel screen.
Foot controls allow the operator to raise or lower the deck in incrementswith a tap on either side of a foot-operated rocker pedal.
Foot controls allow the operator to raise or lower the deck with a tap on either side of a foot-operated rocker pedal, or hold the pedal in place to raise fully or lower to a pre-set height.
Summing up
At the front of the foot well are three operational indicator lights easily viewed by the operator. Three greens indicate cutting height and speed are correct for the conditions, yellow lights indicate cutting height is good but ground speed is too fast, while red lights indicate the operator is pushing the machine too hard and should re-assess speed and cutting heights.
Mean Green Mower
Mohawk College has added an electric riding lawn mower to its landscaping fleet! The Mean Green Mower is the college’s first electric lawnmower, representing another step taken by the college to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Mohawk has made significant progress in reducing its GHG emissions; since 2007, the college has reduced its emissions from buildings and operational by 63%. However, there are many other benefits associated with using an electric mower instead of a gas powered one, including reduction of noise pollution, improved air quality and cost savings on fuel and maintenance.
Let’s explore how these reductions improve the environment:
The Grounds Team will be using the Mean Green Mower all summer across the college’s grounds to put it to the test and determine if it stands up to the performance of the gas-powered mowers. Hopefully, the case can be made to secure funding to transform the fleet from gas to electric mowers as the machines require replacement.
Professional landscapers are reluctant to plug into electric mowers due to cost
Austin Acocella, co-owner of Acocella Landscaping in Westchester County, N.Y., is holding onto his gas-powered mowers. He says electric ride-ons are too expensive for him to switch right now. Matthew Schuerman hide caption
Austin Acocella, co-owner of Acocella Landscaping in Westchester County, N.Y., is holding onto his gas-powered mowers. He says electric ride-ons are too expensive for him to switch right now.
SCARSDALE, N.Y. — Electric lawn mowers have taken the U.S. consumer market by storm over the past few years. And they’ve done so quietly — about 20 decibels more quietly in some cases.
Once restricted to lawns no larger than the length of an extension cord, mowers on the market today run on lithium ion batteries that can last 45 minutes or more without charging and cost about as much as gas-powered versions. And in 2021, according to market research company FactMR, electric lawn mowers made up 37% of all sales.
But professional landscapers, who have to run their machines all day, day after day, have yet to join the trend in large numbers. Electric heavy-duty ride-on mowers make up just 11% of the total market for all heavy-duty ride-on mowers.
“For homeowners, I feel like it’s great,” said Austin Acocella, co-owner of Acocella Landscaping in Scarsdale, N.Y. “The battery just doesn’t last long, especially for the stuff that I do.”
He has checked out commercial-grade mowers with batteries that can last six or more hours, but hasn’t wanted to pay the upfront costs. A 52-inch-wide ride-on model, the Rival from Mean Green Mowers, starts at nearly 30,000. That is more than three times a comparable gas-powered machine – though the manufacturer says the customer will break even given significantly lower operation and maintenance costs.
“In the future I would love to buy them, but right at this second, I just can’t because of inflation and just everything that’s going on,” Acocella says. “I just can’t swing it yet.”
Acocella and his employees began using hand-held electric devices – leaf blowers, weed whackers and hedge trimmers – last year when one of his clients, the town of Larchmont, required it. He’s begun to use them on other properties as well because they are lighter, much quieter, and don’t emit pollutants. But with the exception of the hedge trimmer, he says, they need frequent battery changes and are not as powerful.
“I need something that’s going to last long or something that’s easy,” Austin says. “Like I have a gas can, it’s on a truck that I just fuel up and I go. How many batteries do I need to have in order to get through the day?”
Mean Green Mowers, a 10-year-old electric lawn mower company based in Ohio, sells commercial-grade ride-on lawn mowers with long-lasting batteries. Jen Stroker (left), regional development manager for the company, and Raymond Rocco, co-owner of C.R. Power, which sells the products, demonstrated the Rival model in a Port Chester, N.Y., park recently. Matthew Schuerman hide caption
Mean Green Mowers, a 10-year-old electric lawn mower company based in Ohio, sells commercial-grade ride-on lawn mowers with long-lasting batteries. Jen Stroker (left), regional development manager for the company, and Raymond Rocco, co-owner of C.R. Power, which sells the products, demonstrated the Rival model in a Port Chester, N.Y., park recently.
Bans on gas-powered gear
Yet landscapers are being pressured to change – sometimes by clients and sometimes by governments. Last fall, the California Legislature passed a law requiring that all new landscaping equipment sold in the state be emissions-free beginning Jan. 1, 2024.
The state and national landscaping associations objected, arguing that electric equipment wasn’t advanced enough to operate for long periods of time, and in some cases, did not work as well as gas equipment. As proof, they cited a study from the California State University at Fullerton to show that zero emissions equipment hadn’t caught on among professionals. The study found that less than 6% of equipment used by landscapers were zero-emissions, compared to more than 50% of the gear used by homeowners.
But Assemblymember Marc Berman, the bill’s author, disputes the industry’s characterization of zero-emissions equipment.
“This equipment is ready today,” said Berman, a Democrat from Palo Alto. “There are at least eight brands that produce zero emission equipment in each major equipment category for commercial equipment.”
After that bill was passed, New York State Sen. Pete Harckham introduced a similar bill in Albany. Though it did not pass in the regular session, Harckham told NPR he plans to re-introduce it but has not decided on when the mandate would take effect.
Both the California legislation and the New York proposal only address the sale of new equipment, meaning landscapers and homeowners can continue using their existing gas-powered tools.
Numerous cities and towns across the country have gone further and restricted the use – as opposed to just the purchase – of gas-powered leaf blowers. And this month, two municipalities in Marin County, Calif., – Fairfax and Sausalito – banned the use of other gas-powered equipment as well, including mowers, to be phased in over the next 18 months.
Mixed environmental impact
Electric lawn mowers won’t help much in terms of climate-changing emissions – people just don’t mow their lawns nearly as much as they drive. The California Air Resources Board, for example, estimates that phasing out gasoline-powered lawn equipment will save an average of 0.66 million metric tons of CO2 a year, while the state produced 418 million tons in 2019 – the last year data was available.
But the agency found that gasoline-powered engines produce substantial amounts of other pollutants, such as nitrogen oxide, which can lead to respiratory difficulties and smog. In addition, researchers have raised concerns about the impact of the equipment’s noise and vibrations on operators’ health.
Large, commercial-grade equipment is used on a significant proportion of green spaces around the country – not only public properties and office parks. The California State University survey found, for example, that half of the state’s residents with lawns hired landscapers to take care of them, either partially or fully.
Drawbacks of mandates
Still, even some supporters of green landscaping oppose mandating electric equipment, arguing that it may cause small landscapers – an important employer of immigrants and limited-skill workers – to go out of business.
“If you just ban the use of equipment, you’re really putting the entire onus on the landscapers to come up with the money that they need to purchase the equipment,” said Jamie Banks, the founder and CEO of the non-profit Quiet Communities, Inc. “It’s not just purchasing the tool but also purchasing enough batteries and enough chargers that they can meet their work production needs.”
And some of those batteries are expensive – as much as 450,500 for a backpack-style one to power a leaf blower. California lawmakers have so far allocated 30 million for subsidies to offset the higher landscapers will have to pay for new electric equipment. But the National Association of Landscape Professionals said the amount breaks down to just 15 for each piece of gas-powered equipment that landscapers in the state need to replace.
Berman, the state legislator, said that he is hoping to get more subsidies in the budget for the coming year.
Quiet Communities and another nonprofit, the American Green Zone Alliance, have been working with towns, school districts, and other entities to adopt zero-emissions equipment for their own properties, but to do so voluntarily. So far, they say they have recruited about 20 locales and institutions across the country to take part in their program.
“I think the writing is on the wall,” Banks said. “It’s just, how do we get there in a way that’s, you know, fair, most efficient and so forth.”
The pros and cons of electric lawn mowers
Electric lawn mowers have arrived. We lay out the pros and cons of these green yard machines.
Sean Jackson is a creative copywriter living in Florida. He’s had work published with Realtor.com, theScore, ESPN, and the San Francisco Chronicle. In his free time, Sean likes to play drums, fail miserably at improv and spend time at the beach.
Once upon a time, all lawn mowers were gas-burning beasts whose pull-start motors relied as much on elbow grease as internal combustion just to get started. These days you have more options. While big-box stores still have plenty of gas-powered models on display, there’s a growing number of electric mowers available to purchase.
If you’re new to electric lawn mowers, there are some things you should consider before buying one. Electric mowers certainly offer some unique benefits, but they have some performance limitations you will want to be aware of too.
This guide examines both the benefits and drawbacks of electric mowers. By the time you’re done, you’ll hopefully have a sense of whether or not they’re a suitable fit for your specific lawn care needs.
Pro: Quieter operation
Electric mowers can produce up to 75 decibels (think washing machine volume), whereas gasoline mowers are quite a bit louder at 95 decibels (motorcycle volume). If you live in a suburb, an electric mower will be a less disrupting option for your neighbors.
One of the biggest perks of electric mowers is there is less maintenance involved. With gas mowers, you have to replace parts annually. Examples are spark plugs, oil and air filters. That’s not the case with electric mowers. And these savings will increase every year, making an electric model more economical.
Pro: Easier to maneuver
Electric lawn mowers are lighter than their gas powered siblings. That means they’re easier to whip around tight corners and navigate through your yard. For example, the EGO Power Plus 56-Volt 21-in Push Cordless Electric Lawn Mower weighs 62.6 pounds after assembly.
Conversely, gasoline lawn mowers can be much heavier. The Craftsman M250 160-cc 21-in Self-Propelled Gas Push Lawn Mower with Honda Engine weighs a hefty 90 pounds. While the self-propelled engine improves maneuverability when you mow, it is still a heavy object to lug around when it is not in operation.
Pro: Cleaner for the environment
Gasoline-powered mowers emit lots of airborne pollutants. According to the California Air Resources Board, one hour of mowing generates the same pollution as driving a car for 300 miles. Indeed, the Environmental Protection Agency states that gas lawn mowers contribute the lion’s share of nonroad-related air pollution generated nationwide.
A clear clean alternative is the electric lawnmower. The Electric Power Research Institute notes if we replaced half the gas-powered lawn mowers with electric ones, it would reduce the same amount of emissions as removing two million vehicles from the road.
Pro: They can be less expensive
If you are looking to save money, electric lawn mowers might be a wise option to consider. Electric models start as low as 88, the price for the 11-inch, 10-amp Electric Hover Walk Behind Push Mower from Sun Joe. However, this model has a relatively narrow cutting width.
Alternatively, for gas-powered mowers tend to start at around 170. For example, the Yardmax 20-inch 166cc OHV Gas Walk Behind Push Mower and 20-inch 125 cc Briggs Stratton Gas Walk Behind models each cost 169 and cut wider swaths of grass.
So saving a little cash also means you’ll take more time and effort to cut the same area than you would with a bigger mower. Generally, the wider the cutting platform, the more money you’ll pay. For instance, the wider Sun Joe Mow Joe 20-inch model will set you back 170 even though it’s an electric model.
Con: Shorter run times
If your yard is more than half an acre, then an electric model might not be the best choice. Many electric mowers, like the Sun Joe Hover Walk Behind model use a cord. It allows you to mow a yard up to a quarter of an acre. However, that tether can also be a hindrance as you work.
Other electric models run on charged batteries and offer runtimes ranging between 20 and 45 minutes. If it takes longer than this to mow your yard, this limitation is a problem. To finish the job, you’ll have to wait for the mower to recharge. A better solution is to keep another charged battery on hand to extend your mowing time. However, that requires you purchase an extra standalone battery.
Con: Not the best for larger yards
For homeowners with hilly or larger yards, finding the right mower can be a challenge. A riding lawn mower like the gas-powered Toro IronForged Deck Zero Turn Riding Lawn Mower will do the job. It has a huge cutting width of 60 inches and will definitely finish big yards quicker.
You can purchase electric riding mowers as well. The Ryobi 42-inch 75ah Battery Electric Riding Zero Turn Mower offers a decent cutting width of 42 inches. Still, if you have a yard encompassing multiple acres, it will take you longer to finish the job with an electric model like this one.
Con: They are not as powerful
When shopping for a mower, one thing to consider is its torque rating. Torque is the driving force behind a blade’s rotational movement. Electric lawn mowers generate substantially less torque on average than a gas mower does. It means a gas mower will be a much better choice to tackle challenging terrains like hills and dips.
Overall, the lawn mower market continues to expand with diverse offerings. For homeowners with larger yards, gas-powered mowers will still be the best fit, as they have the durability and power to tackle large projects with ease.
Meanwhile, if you want to reduce your carbon footprint, then an electric lawn mower is the wise way to go. Either route you take can help you gain a healthy-looking lawn that boosts the curb appeal and value of your home.
In the meantime, here are some other tips to keep your yard looking great: